Bill Overview
Title: District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act
Description: This bill authorizes the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration in the District of Columbia to establish a voluntary separation incentive payments program for nonjudicial employees of the District's courts substantially similar to that for certain federal employees and members of the uniformed services, except that the maximum payment amount to any individual may not exceed $25,000. Additionally, the District's Public Defender Service may establish such a program for its employees, again limiting the maximum payment amount to any individual to $25,000.
Sponsors: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Nonjudicial employees of the District of Columbia Courts and employees of the DC Public Defender Service
Estimated Size: 1500
- The bill impacts nonjudicial employees of the District of Columbia Courts, meaning administrative and clerical staff, among others, who are not judges.
- The bill also impacts employees of the District's Public Defender Service, which includes legal and support staff working in the public defender's office.
- The program targets employees in these specific roles who may opt for voluntary separation in exchange for incentive payments.
- Voluntary separation incentive programs are commonly offered to help manage workforce sizes, which means the primary affected group is those who may be considering leaving their positions.
Reasoning
- The target population is relatively small (around 1500 employees), and only a subset of them will choose to participate in the voluntary separation program, especially given the incentive cap of $25,000.
- Not all employees may find $25,000 sufficient to leave their employment, so the impact will largely depend on personal circumstances, such as nearing retirement, seeking career changes, or those already considering leaving.
- The policy's impact on wellbeing might be subtle initially as employees weigh financial security against job satisfaction and future prospects.
- The budget constraints mean that even if all employees applied, not all could receive the full $25,000 per year, hinting at a selective or prioritized allocation.
- Consideration is given to the broader implications of voluntary separation on departments, such as operational strain or gaps in experience and skills.
Simulated Interviews
court clerk (Washington D.C.)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm thinking about retirement soon, and this incentive might be the push I need to finally leave.
- The extra $25,000 would help make a smoother transition into retirement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
IT support specialist in Public Defender Service (Washington D.C.)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not planning to leave my job immediately, especially given my current commitments.
- $25,000 isn't enough to make a big difference to consider leaving.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
legal assistant (Washington D.C.)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm early in my career and not looking to leave yet, but the $25,000 might help me start a master's program.
- Would consider leaving temporary for education, but unsure if $25,000 is adequate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
court security (Washington D.C.)
Age: 52 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I could use a change, and $25,000 might help me transition to another job while caring for my parent.
- Worried about losing consistent income, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
HR manager in the Public Defender Service (Washington D.C.)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not looking to leave, more concerned about how this might affect my department.
- The program is useful for planning, but not impactful for me personally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
administrative assistant (Washington D.C.)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been feeling burnt out and the incentive could help me take a break.
- Unsure if $25,000 will be enough for a stable transition.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
public defender (Washington D.C.)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm happy in my role and have no plans to leave.
- It's an interesting option for those considering a change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
paralegal (Washington D.C.)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm looking to move up in my career, and $25,000 could help me take some time for training or certification.
- Not sure if it's the right time yet, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
court administrator (Washington D.C.)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am concerned about how this might affect operations if many participate.
- Personally, I am not interested in taking the offer yet.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
financial analyst (Washington D.C.)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could be a good step towards starting my own venture.
- Considering the security of my current role and long-term plans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12000000 (Low: $7500000, High: $18750000)
Year 2: $12000000 (Low: $7500000, High: $18750000)
Year 3: $12000000 (Low: $7500000, High: $18750000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The voluntary nature of the program may limit early adoption; not all eligible employees may choose to participate.
- Given the fixed cap on payments, total costs are directly tied to the number of participants rather than exceeding $25,000 per offer.
- Potential administrative and case management adjustments might be needed for workload distribution post-separations.